Thirteen years ago, the Nagoya High Court in two cases reversed the first trial in which the family of the bereaved had asked for the recognition of the accident as a work-related accident over the suicide of a 13-year-old man who had been with Chubu Electric Power for six months, and handed down a judgment recognizing the work-related accident.
Yosuke Suzuki (then 22), who joined Chubu Electric Power in April 4, committed suicide about six months after being assigned to the sales department of the Mie branch.
Although the Tsu Labor Standards Inspection Office did not approve of the work-related accident, Suzuki's mother had asked the government to certify the work-related accident in court, claiming that it was because she was ordered to be in charge of the work without the support of the company and that she had been subjected to power harassment by her boss, the section manager, who said, "I don't need you."
The first court rejected the complaint, stating that it was not recognized that there was behavior that deviated from the scope of business guidance in the guidance of the supervisor.
In the second trial ruling on the 26th, Nagoya High Court Presiding Judge Yasuhiro Hasegawa pointed out that "my boss, the section manager, made fun of the name of the university by reprimanding me when I went to work on holidays, saying, 'I don't need you,' or 'You can't do that, are you a university graduate?'
On top of that, the court rescinded the first trial and ruled that the work-related accident was recognized, saying, "I am under a strong psychological burden, and it is recognized that the onset of mental disorders and suicide are caused by work."
Mother said, "I'm really sorry I couldn't protect you."
Following the verdict, Noriko Yoshida, 61, the mother of the deceased Yosuke Suzuki, held a press conference in Nagoya.
"Yosuke wasn't the kind of kid who made very weak sounds, so why couldn't he help him? You can quit the company,' and Yosuke might still be alive today."
During the press conference, Yoshida held a diary in which Yosuke kept a diary in which he kept his worries and sufferings about his work until just before his death, and said, "There was a diary that he wanted me to protest when he died. I'm really sorry that I couldn't protect them."
He added, "He proved how hard Yosuke's work was, and I came here because I wanted to know only the facts. I have only words of gratitude for the help I received from so many people."
Tsu Labor Standards Superintendent: "Future measures will be determined in consultation with related organizations"
In response to the ruling, Deputy Chief Tokutaka Sugi of the Tsu Labor Standards Inspection Office commented, "We will consider the content of the judgment and make a decision on future measures after consultation with related organizations."
Chubu Electric Power "Refrain from commenting"
In addition, Chubu Electric Power said, "We are aware of such a ruling from media reports, but we will refrain from commenting because we are not a party to the lawsuit."